They do cash the check on time and will give you a multi-entry visa. Now, these are two important things when you consider Saudi Arabia is known for its horrible human trafficking record and discrimination against foreign workers.

However, quality of life sucks if you care about your job and developing your skills as a teacher. You won't get actual support but the appearance of support while they schedule Workshops for teachers. For instance, we had a workshop on lesson planning. Then, after a few weeks, a teacher was asked why she was lesson planning and that it was a waste of time. If this is your first job, it is great to get something on your resume.

However, interviewing will not be fun when you leave Saudi. Everyone knows how teaching is in Saudi and thus, if your potential employer knows anything, they will see this as a complete waste of time. If you are looking to stay in the Middle East, they will like you have experience living in the Middle East. Outside of the Middle East, employers want teachers who have experience with teaching ESL rather than disciplining students.

I am not saying this is generally everyone's experience but this is my own and some fellow expats who worked in Saudi and at the same company.

I have a question for some fellow expats working at Shabaka or those who left. The owners indicated they put bids in with other universities and asked some of us if we would consider coming back. Has anyone heard about those bids yet? Also, he mentioned new management but then we heard that the current manager of the program would still oversea the management at the new places? The owner is aware of the conditions in which some of us would return and when it was mentioned the current manager would still be somewhat involved, I know the response was "not interested" across the board and the owner was shocked I heard. Has anyone heard anything about this? I don't even know if I would return to the company but find myself curious what everyone else has heard.

I did like working for the owners. The only thing I disliked was how they neglected the poor management of the company.

Outside of the Middle East, employers want teachers who have experience with teaching ESL rather than disciplining students

this is a good point well made if you have come to Saudi with very little experience and want to build your CV. If you already have good prior experience, and depending on who you work for here though, it needn't be seen as a "waste of time". Many schools in Europe that offer summer programs, for example, would be happy that you have both EFL experience AND experience disciplining students.

Well it is good to know they finally sent out those contracts that they had the teachers sign way back. So, remind me, how long did that take?

The company is just about business. By keeping the tourists and the bad teachers, students will probably complain less. Although, when they see there grades go down, that will be another story. Look at what happened at Princess Noura recently.

Also, were there any consequences for these teachers who got themselves into trouble for drunken behavior in Bahrain?

Some teachers go to work with their heads in a cloud from the partying the night before. Sadly, associating yourselves with these people will ensure you have a job. However, the events that occurred in Bahrain should show you could get yourself in trouble legally for associating with these people. Now who wants to end up in that kind of trouble for the sake of keeping a job.

Does this sort of drama happen at other universities in Saudi? Is compound life always this high school?

What happened at PNU was a knee jerk reaction which could have been avoided if management hadn't panicked.

Second point: From Wed night through till Friday night (Sat morning) it's free for all at the compounds. On Saturday morning there would inevitably be absences and the co-ordinators and the stand by teachers would take the classes. The Saudi admin staff would be amused by this Western 'fun', but nothing was done about it. Buddies, Buddies!!

3rd point- some of us still haven't received our visa papers yet, even though we all signed about 2 months ago. So not sure when the teachers are expected in Saudi.

So it appears not everyone expecting a signed contract in return got one and some people are scared to ask each other. So, did teachers that are still there for the summer receive contracts back? Or did just the teachers that left for the summer get the signed contracts back? This is once again a sad example of poor management. The man does not even have the nerve to give proper notice to someone and instead, allows people to figure things out in such an unprofessional and down right deceptive and fraudulent management style. You should not offer contracts to people unless you meant to. Teachers staying with the company please respond so teachers currently expecting a contract know what is going on and teachers thinking of going to work for this company can gain a true understanding of the way things work.

I am sorry for what the teachers still with this company are experiencing. Truth is people would have more respect for management if he treated his employees with respect rather than disregard for their lives.

WTF just smack this a-hole. What are you waiting for? I've worked for them already, unfortunately, and have had my fill of this thread. Do something! Don't procrastinate. Remember Gezi Park in Istanbul! Enough is enough! I'm sure The Hockey Coach doesn't have water cannons, tear gas, or pepper spray!